STTDCM holds discussion
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 17 2016:
The
Scheduled Tribe Demand
Committee of Manipur,
conducted a one-day discussion
session on 'measures to be
taken up to include the Meetie/
Meitei community in the
Scheduled Tribe list' at THAU
ground complex,
Thangmeiband today.
The discussion was participated
by Scheduled Tribe
Demand Committee, Manipur
president Dr Yumnam
Mohendro, working president
M o i r a n g t h e m
Naodamkhomba and former
Nagaland SP and MANEI
former president
Potshangbam Sonamani.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel,
presently the general
secretary of the committee
Laishram Lokendra said today's
discussion regarding
the recognition of the Meitei/
Meetei community as an ST
by the India Constitution is
of utmost importance.
The people must strive to
remove the Constitutional divide
of Tribal/ hill people and
Non-tribal/valley people
amongst the indigenous communities
of Manipur for a
peaceful and harmonious society.
Meetei/Meitei inhabit the
valley area which is less than
10 percent of the total area of
the State.
The Constitution
must extend its Constitutional
safeguard to valley districts as
that of the hill districts, he
said.
The committee has held
various awareness programmes
on why Meitei/
Meetei should be included in
the ST list of India.
The initiative
however has been
misinterpreted by many.
The goal of the committee
is to create a composite Tribal
State with equal respect for
all indigenous communities
not to steal the profits/benefits
of the hill Tribals,
Lokendra asserted.
Demanding immediate recognition
of the Meitei/Meetei
community as Scheduled
Tribe by the Indian Constitution,
Lokendra said the step
would help boost unity and
equality among the hill and
the valley population.